The reduction of microbial activity in organic fertilization influences corn growth

Abstract

The objective of the present work was to evaluate the effect of the incorporation of organic matter and organic matter irradiated to the soil, on corn growth and soil respiration. The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse and microbiology laboratory. For organic fertilization, tanned bovine manure was taken from the dairy farm. To reduce microbial activity in manure, the irradiation technique was used using the microwave oven. The experimental design was a completely randomized block containing five treatments, with and without irradiation and four replications. At 65 days after sowing, height and dry mass evaluations of plants were made. Soil samples were also collected for the evaluation of microbial activity by basal soil respiration method. The application of natural manure favored the greater microbial activity in the soil when compared to the same sterile organic matter. Natural manure promoted the highest growth of corn indicating doses close to ten tons per hectare with significant quadratic adjustment, which did not occur in the use of irradiated manure that provided linear adjustment.